The
awards banquet is over and the 2017 NASCAR season is a memory. Before turning
our attention to the upcoming season, let's take a quick look at some
highlights and low points of this past year. Perhaps your list looks different;
these are the observations of just one fan.

Good:

1.
Martin Truex Jr. becoming the NASCAR champion - He was a favorite all season
and certainly dominated the game of winning stages throughout the year.
Regardless of what point system was used, with or without stages, Truex had a
season that will be remembered for years to come. The story of his girlfriend
Sherry Pollex and her battle with cancer added an emotional dimension that made
it hard to root against the guy while also putting life and sports in their
proper perspectives.

2.
New Winners - 2017 saw Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr and Ryan Blaney all
earn their first (and in Stenhouse's case, his
second) career victories. Everyone loves to see a first time winner and each of
these had a special quality to them. Dillon winning the Coke 600 was huge but
doing so for his grandfather's team made it even more special. It's often said
anyone can win on a superspeedway but Stenhouse did it twice and Blaney showed
total class in his post-victory celebration. He eschewed the typical front
stretch burnout out of respect for the Wood Brothers.

Speaking
of winners, it was also great to see both Richard Childress Racing and Roush-Fenway
Racing return to Victory Lane. It had been a long time for both those teams and
they both captured multiple wins in 2017. RFR also showed they're a team to
watch on the superspeedways.

3.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - After the health issues Junior faced in 2016, it was
great to see him return to the track. He wasn't forced out of the car due to
his post-concussion issues and was able to finish his career on his own terms.

4.
Jeremy Clements - Some of the most competitive races in the Xfinity Series have
been the ones devoid of Cup drivers. The Johnsonville 180 at Road America was
the best of them all as Jeremy Clements earned his first career series win.
Driving for his family team and earning a playoff spot against Cup-affiliated
teams was a major feel good story in that series for 2017. Based on the
reaction from folks inside the industry as well as fans, it proved to be a
popular victory. We can only dream that the NASCAR powers paid attention.

5.
Hamlin vs. Elliott - NASCAR can always use a good rivalry to stir interest and
it appears after the altercations these two had toward the end of the season,
we might have a good one in the making. Some might say there's a Kyle
Busch/Brad Keselowski feud but judging by public comments, that appears to be a
rivalry only in Busch's mind.

Now
for the bad:

1.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr - Yes, he was mentioned earlier in the plus side of the
ledger. However, the way his final season played out was certainly a
disappointment. It would've been a stretch to think he would be a title
contender but one would've thought he would at least contend for wins; that
never happened.

2.
Matt Kenseth - Seeing this season champion forced out of the sport like he has
been, should be a cause for concern on many levels. Unfortunately it just
further advances the idea that talent now takes a backseat in the highest level
of the sport. It was great to see him win the next to last race at Phoenix but
he deserves so much more.

3.
Penalties - Between encumbered finishes and lug nut violations, as frustrating
as it was for fans, I can only imagine how teams felt. Joey Logano won at
Richmond but it was encumbered so it didn't count toward the playoffs... but he
keeps the win. Ridiculous. Logic says you fully keep the win and all that comes
with it or you lose the win and all its trappings. Hardly though are logic and
NASCAR used in the same sentence.

4.
Truck Series - Plain and simple, it's dying. Worst of all, it's almost as if
the sanctioning body doesn't care. Teams are folding, manufacturers are pulling
out, costs mount and it appears nothing is being done to address any of these
issues. For all the negative talk the Cup Series receives, the trucks are in
much worse shape.

5.
Toyota Dominance - At various times in NASCAR's history, one manufacturer or
another has had periods of domination. In the past however, the rule makers
found a way to minimize or eliminate those advantages; not in this new era.
Ford and Chevy drivers were voicing their concerns and displeasure about the
Toyota advantage since the opening weeks of the season yet it was allowed to
continue all year. Basically there was no reason for a Ford or Chevy fan to
watch any races on mile and half long tracks. It's critical that NASCAR find a
way to keep fans, not let them drift off due to an issue like this.

Your
list of good and bad in 2017 might look different than this and that's OK. We
all have different reasons to watch and we have different things to like and
dislike about the sport. The holidays will be over soon and we'll turn our
attention to Daytona and another season. I just hope we're all still watching
and still have reasons to be passionate.

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Race Fans Forever are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of Race Fans Forever. Race Fans Forever is not affiliated with NASCAR or any other motorsports sanctioning body in any form..